Passion
by panickedfish
Summary: Takes place after FMA: Brotherhood. Dr Marcoh has healed Jean Havoc's legs, but the process used up an entire philosopher's stone. When Riza Hawkeye discovers that this means Roy Mustang will remain blind, she goes on a journey to obtain another stone.
1. Aftermath of the Battle

When second Lieutenant Jean Havoc regained what he had lost thanks to the mysterious power of a philosopher's stone, the first thing he decided to do was pay a visit to Roy Mustang, who was staying at the same hospital.

"Now are you sure you want to go? Your legs might not be as strong as you'd expect. I'll get you a wheelchair if you need it." Dr Marcoh said. His lined face suggested that the process of healing Havoc might have sapped a lot of his own energy as well. Dr Marcoh sat down in an uncomfortable cushioned chair next to Havoc's beside, his expression serious. Havoc, on the other hand, seemed to be excited and filled with boundless energy. He unhooked himself from his IV and, ignoring Marcoh's protests, stood. Grasping at a nearby railing, Havoc shuffled down the hallway to the elevators that would take him to the less critically-injured ward where a blind Mustang was waiting.

"I'm not an old man. I'll be fine!" he called back down the hallway as it turned and he disappeared from Marcoh's view. The doctor chuckled to himself, certain now that Havoc should have still been under observation for a couple more hours. It had been a risky procedure, even with the added support of alchemy and the strength of the stone itself. But, he supposed, everyone in the military always seemed so strong-willed, unable to let anything stand in the way of achieving their goals.

In the elevator as it clanged between floors, Havoc ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. Despite getting his legs back, there was some other news—bad news—that darkened this otherwise happy reunion. And Havoc knew that he had to be the one to tell Mustang.

The guards outside the door of Mustang's room stiffened as he approached, but once they recognized the Lieutenant, they greeted him warmly. The taller one, a junior officer, even pulled the Lieutenant into a one-armed hug. After the danger that Amestris narrowly avoided, it made sense that the military would be a little more excited and less reserved than usual. Havoc stepped back and smiled, ruffling his hair.

"I didn't recognize you with your legs!" the shorter guard said warmly, clapping Havoc on the back.

"Yeah, well, we have Dr Marcoh to thank for that."

"So are you going to return to regular duties?"

Havoc considered a moment, even though he had an idea already that he would be asked this question. He smiled again.

"Well, even when I was bedridden, I wanted to work. So you gentlemen will definitely be seeing me around!"

"We look forward to it," the guards grinned.

"Havoc is that you?" the strong voice the leaked through the door could only belong to someone as self-assured as the man who might one day become fuhrer: Roy Mustang.

"Yeah," Havoc said. The guards stepped aside and Havoc took a breath before grasping the handle and opening the door.

After stepping into the room, Havoc turned to make sure that the door was closed. Then he faced the occupants. The Colonel was sitting up in the bed on the left, his steel-gray eyes concealed underneath closed lids. Though the Colonel couldn't see, Havoc sensed Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye, in the bed on the right, watching his every move. Riza looked pale but strong. Her bandages looked freshly changed. Havoc was glad that she was there to watch out for the Colonel and he realized that his news might just affect her as much as it would Mustang.

"Lieutenant Havoc, it's nice to see you walking around," Riza said.

In spite of himself, Havoc grinned and stretched his legs. He struck a pose. "It feels great," he admitted. Then he walked over to Hawkeye's bed and sat down on the edge of it with a thump.

"What's wrong?" Mustang asked. Even with Hawkeye as his only pair of eyes, he was perceptive.

Havoc swallowed. "I have some news. I guess I should just come right out and say it then. When Dr Marcoh gave me back my legs, there was a... complication. May Chang was on-site to help with her Alkahestry, but it didn't really make a difference—"

The Colonel gasped. "Don't tell me that your legs aren't as good as they were before."

"No, it's not that." Havoc looked into the concern within Lieutenant Hawkeye's eyes as he swallowed and said "we had to use up an entire stone. There isn't anything left that can be used to heal your eyes."

The room was silent for a few moments after his announcement, then:

"What did you say?" Lieutenant Hawkeye's voice was deathly even; her tone menacing. Her brown eyes met Havoc's and held him trapped in her gaze.  
Havoc tried to speak but the Colonel cut him off.

"We heard you." His voice was quiet, resigned. This, more than anything, was what caught Havoc off-guard. The Colonel wasn't one to give into despair. And though he had bravely vowed to repair Amestris and its ties with Ishval, whether his eyes worked or not, Havoc knew that this news must just be crushing him. That was why he wanted to be the one to deliver the news. After Mustang's insistence that he be healed first, it didn't seem fair that there wasn't enough power within the stone to go around. The room was filled with silence.

"Colonel, sir," Hawkeye spoke up a moment later. Mustang raised his head at her voice and turned to face her approximate direction.

"I'm going for a walk."

"But your throat," the Colonel began, clearly alarmed.

"I'll be fine," Hawkeye insisted. She climbed out of her bed, still dressed in the muddy and torn clothing from the fight the day before, and headed for the door.

"Lieutenant," the Colonel barked, but Riza ignored him and grabbed Mustang's military jacket from where it hung on a hook near the door. She shut the door behind her and Havoc could hear her heavy footsteps as she walked down the hall, ignoring the guards' insistences that she stay in bed, concerned for the same reason as the Colonel.

Mustang sank back into the pillows on his bed. "The Lieutenant isn't mad at you. She's not even mad at me. She's just frustrated by all that's happened."

"Doesn't it bother you?" Havoc asked, staring down at his hands. He felt incredibly guilty and suddenly wished that he was back in his general store in his wheelchair. Surely his commanding officers' eyes were more important than his legs.

"What, that I might not get my eyes back? Of course it does. I might never get to see her face again." Mustang trailed off, and Havoc suspected that he was talking more about himself than anything else. Then the Colonel recovered and the softer tone of his voice—the one he used when he spoke of Hawkeye—disappeared.

"It's just as Ling said, isn't it? What's the use of being in a position of authority if you can't save the people you're supposed to protect?"

"I think it was actually Greed who said that," Havoc mused. But the Colonel was right, as usual. Selfless bastard. If this man was going to become fuhrer—sightless or not—Havoc knew that he would stand beside him. It was the least he could do.

"Now, Lieutenant. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like a cigarette. And Lieutenant Hawkeye hates it when I smoke."

Havoc laughed and reached into his pocket for his smokes. He pulled out two and handed one to the Colonel. Mustang snapped at the end of it to light it and after a too-large flame flickered, the cigarette was lit. Mustang inhaled, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"I think I might have singed my eyebrows," he joked.

Havoc used the lighter for his own cigarette. The small room grew cloudy with smoke. Havoc walked up to open the window and as he did so, he got a view of downtown Central city, starting to repair itself after the Elric brothers' and their fight against Our Father. As he looked at the still-smoking streets, he wondered where Lieutenant Hawkeye might have gone.

* * *

The train ride from central out into the countryside was a long one, but the woman on the train didn't mind. The scenery, her turbulent thoughts, and the time all passed by in a blur. Before leaving, she had taken a couple of minutes to pack a small military-issue duffle bag with a change of clothes, some water bottles, and a couple of green apples. Not that she was hungry. Her blonde hair was freed of its usual clip and it hung limply around her face, mostly concealing the bandages that covered the wound inflicted by the gold-toothed doctor's Bradley rejects. She had been getting some strange looks on the train, probably due to the haunted expression in her eyes. Those eyes had seen so much. The pain of Ishval. The fatalities from the most recent skirmishes. Those who had not survived the final battle. She sighed, relieved that the Homunculi had all been vanquished, even though the cost had been too great.

What was it that those alchemist brothers were always going on and on about, 'the law of equivalent exchange'? Well, the Colonel's sight and all those dead—Captain Buccaneer, old man Fu, Briggs soldiers, and all others—hardly made the victory sweet. Riza thought of Hughes. Remembering how she had stood at his gravesite with the Colonel, she felt tears prickling her eyes. She draped the Colonel's jacket over her shoulders and burrowed into it. Now she wished that the train would just hurry. She didn't want to have to be alone with her thoughts for much longer.

Riza woke up when she heard the whistle of the train and felt the sensation of it slowing down. Feeling as though no time had passed at all, she sat up with a start, the Colonel's military jacket sliding off of her. She looked around the cabin, her military instincts kicking in and alert to any potential threats. Everyone else in this car seemed to be on vacation or attending to their own business—completely nonthreatening. Hawkeye took a deep breath to steady herself. She picked up the Colonel's jacket and slung it over her shoulder. Then, with her head bowed, she followed the mass of people who were also exiting the train.  
No one was waiting for her at the station. She had thought about calling ahead to arrange something but then figured that it wasn't worth the effort. Up until recently, she hadn't even been sure that she would come all this way. Shouldering her duffle bag, she left the train terminal altogether and started off down the path towards the Rockbell residence.

* * *

Winry was tinkering with some automail in her shop when Hawkeye reached the front door—the noises coming from a back room made that obvious. Riza could smell the metal materials and even the anticipation in the air of a job nearing completion. She sat down on the hard wooden step on the porch and waited until the sounds of small talk and clanging subsided. When they did, Riza stood to meet Winry leading a client out her front door and down the steps to the front walkway.

"Make sure you take good care of those fingers now! Don't be slamming them into any more stagecoach doors, all right?"

The middle-aged man she had been working on smiled and waved as he departed. Metal on the fingers of his last two hands glinted in the sunlight.

"I'll be more careful next time, I promise." And then he walked off down the road until it curved and he was hidden from view. Winry wiped her hands on her overalls and turned to Riza.

"Hi. Lieutenant Hawkeye, right? Long time no see."

"Yes."

"You're still Mustang's second in command?"

Again, though this time with a lowered head and in a much softer tone. "Yes."

Winry tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and turned to walk back into the main part of the house.

"Why don't you come in and see what I can do for you."

Riza picked up her duffle and followed Winry inside. Winry pulled out a chair for herself and sat down, but Hawkeye stood straight. She gripped the chair back in front of her, the knuckles turning white. When she spoke, though, her voice was steady and betrayed none of her emotions.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news. Is Edward here? And Alphonse, too. They should both hear what I have to say."

Winry shook her head. "No, Ed's gone on a short journey of his own and Al is on the other side of the country trying to learn about Alkahestry from May Chang and Scar. They left just a couple of days ago but I'm not sure when they'll be back." A note of worry entered Winry's voice. "You should sit down and tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help."

This time Hawkeye did sit down, though her posture remained rigid. With her chair untucked and her hands clasped together in her lap, she delivered the news about Lieutenant Havoc's legs and what it meant for the Colonel's sight. After she finished, there was silence in the room. Then Granny Pinkano walked in and started brewing a pot of tea. Hawkeye had an idea that the old woman had heard what she said but wasn't bothered by the thought. She appreciated the gesture when Pinako placed a teacup full of warm liquid in front of her and then left the room, silent as a ghost. Sipping it with a wan smile on her face, Riza could feel the energy ebbing from her body and the restorative powers of the tea helping her feel more balanced. She sat down at the table across from Winry.

"But, didn't Al tell me that Mustang said he'd be fine without his eyes? And that he doesn't think that being blind will affect him too much?" Winry asked.

"I have no doubt that he will still make a great fuhrer someday," Riza mused into her tea. "But I know that he's devastated."

Winry nodded in sympathy. The Lieutenant knew that Winry was in a similar position when it came to Edward Elric and his leg. But whereas she could perform maintenance on his automail parts whenever it was needed, Hawkeye did not know how she would be able to care for the Colonel. Obviously, she would have to become his eyes, but if anything were to happen to her... no, she must not think about that. Hawkeye shook her head, trying to force the worry from her mind. She took a sip of the tea and felt better. Winry extended a hand over the table and placed it on top of hers.

"Hey, Lieutenant. It's going to be fine. And you already have some idea of what being an army wife is all about."

Hawkeye snapped her hand away, almost knocking her tea over. "W-w-wife?" she stammered.

Winry placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought. "Well, I mean, I guess that Ed's not _technically_ in the army. He's just a dog of the military—" Completely misinterpreting Hawkeye's shocked expression, Winry tried to make the situation less awkward, "that's not my term, though."

Hawkeye leaned back into her seat. This was all too much for her to deal with right now. She had hoped that the Elric brothers—or at least one of them—would be here, to tell her what she could do. She had ignored the Colonel's order that she remain in the hospital, but what if that wasn't the only demand that she disobeyed?

What if, because there was no one to keep her in line, she slipped up and ended up doing something really terrible? And worse, what if the Colonel was too ambitious in his condition and did something which ended up hurting himself? No, the Lieutenant could not let that happen. She had to find a way to fix this for the Colonel. And if Edward or Alphonse weren't here the help, it was no problem. She could do it herself.

"So it's getting kind of late. Why don't you sleep in the guest room upstairs and we'll see how you feel in the morning?" Winry suggested. She must have seen something shift in the Lieutenant's expression.

Hawkeye nodded and followed Winry up the stairs to a guest bedroom. After Winry wished her a good night and shut the door, Hawkeye remained sprawled on top of the bedspread, looking up at the rafters in the ceiling and lost in thought.

* * *

The next morning, when Winry went to check up on her guest, she found the bed empty and she sheets tucked into crisp corners, as though nobody had slept there the night before. The only indication of Riza's visit was a short letter that the Lieutenant had left on the bedside table:

Winry—

I'm sorry for barging into your home like I did last night. And I'm also sorry for leaving so quickly this morning. I just don't want to run out of time, especially with the way I left things with the Colonel. Please understand that I'm grateful for your help and I've gone to try to find Ed to see about getting another stone. I hope I can make it up to you soon,

Riza.

Winry smiled and folded the paper, tucking it into a pocket. It comforted her to know that, on his travels, Ed would soon have some company. Once Hawkeye put her mind to something, there was no way she wouldn't accomplish her goals, so it was only a matter of time before the two of them met up.


	2. Departure for Xing

Riza's feet were sore and her bag seemed to be getting heavier by the moment. In her haste to continue searching for Ed and more information about another philosopher's stone, she had forgotten to check the train times. Upon arriving at the station late last night and being informed that no trains were scheduled to come until late afternoon the next day, she figured that she could walk a ways and maybe hitchhike to the next stop. She had been walking most of the night, and had made quite a lot of ground but her feet were aching in her sturdy military boots. _That was stupid of me_, she thought to herself as she trudged along the roadside,_ of course the trains here aren't like the ones in Central, leaving every hour. I should have known that._ Hawkeye knew that if she wasn't so worried about to Colonel, her mind would have been a lot clearer.

Suddenly, a shout startled Hawkeye out of her thoughts. She looked up in surprise to see an automobile barreling straight towards her. She jumped out of the way just in time as the car skidded, kicking up gravel before slowing to a stop where she had been just moments before. Hawkeye drew a deep breath to yell at the driver but then her mouth hung open when she noticed the occupants. A bemused-looking Sergeant Fuery was behind the wheel. He saluted the Lieutenant before he shut off the motor of the car. Warrant officer Falman was sitting beside him in the passenger's seat and Maria Ross smiled from the back.

"Hello there," Maria waved.

A grin broke out over Riza's face as she got over her surprise. Standing a little straighter, she saluted them back. "Fancy seeing you here."

"We're surprised to see you too," Fuery said.

"How'd you manage to get discharged so quickly? The last we heard, you and the Colonel were on bed rest until further notice."

Hawkeye looked down at the ground, hoping that her long hair covered her still-bandaged neck. She tried to keep the smile on her face at the mention of the Colonel, but knew that the expression must be coming off as forced. She had been happy to see the other members of her team, but now reality was setting in. She was on a mission and couldn't allow herself to get sidetracked.

"I managed to negotiate an early release. The Colonel is still recovering," Hawkeye said.

Maria frowned at Hawkeye. "If by 'negotiate', do you mean you just up and left?"

Hawkeye stiffened, surprised that her co-worker knew her so well. "I left because there's something I need to do."

"What is it?"

Briefly, Hawkeye explained what had happened with Jean Havoc and the stone being maxed out to treat his injuries.

"Well I guess that answers our question," Falman said after a moment of surprised silence. Then he looked Hawkeye in the eyes. "To be honest, I don't care what it was you had to do, but if you're trying to protect Mustang, that's our job too!"

Fuery nodded. "And if you need a ride, we can give it to you. We're just heading off to the east. I'm going to drop off Ross and Falman to the command there."  
"That's perfect; exactly the way I'm going as well."

"Hop in," Maria said, reaching over the door and grabbing Hawkeye's bag before she could protest.

Grateful for the unexpected support of her friends, Hawkeye opened the door and climbed into the backseat of the car next to Maria. Fuery started the car and they were on their way, the wind whipping past them in the convertible's lack of roof. Hawkeye felt the cool air on her face and her long hair whipping in the wind. She closed her eyes.

"So how far exactly do you plan on going?" Fuery raised his voice in order to be heard over the wind and the noise of the engine.

"As far as you can take me," Hawkeye opened her eyes.

"Is the border alright?"

"It's a start."

* * *

Once Falman and Ross had been dropped off at Eastern command, Hawkeye sat up front with Fuery. He drove most of the way in silence, the roads getting increasingly more treacherous as they approached the border of the desert which separated Amestris from the eastern nation of Xing.

"Is your throat alright?" Fuery asked.

Hawkeye nodded, resisting the urge to put her hand up to her wound. The gash still hurt, especially when she jerked her head too far to one side and she felt the flesh around the stitches start to tear. She wasn't going to cause any concern for herself. In fact, the pain was welcome because it served as a reminder of all that she and the Colonel had been through—and how much more they still had to go. She wasn't going to give up on his sight. Her discomfort now hardly mattered when she considered that there was a chance that the leader of Amestris could physically see the direction in which the nation was headed.

Sensing that Fuery wanted to know more in response to his question, Hawkeye rambled on. The conversation kept her mind off of her anxiety about the Colonel. "I know I should probably be in bed, but when I found out that there was a chance... I had to take it."

Fuery sighed, his eyes on the road. "I know. Any of us would have done the same thing. Just remember that the Colonel wants to see you safe and sound, if he gets his sight back."

"_When_ he gets his sight back," Hawkeye amended. Despite there being many more hours to the trip, most of it was spent in silence, peppered here and there with pleasant dialogue. After what they had just been through, there wasn't much to say and both were feeling their energy being sapped by the monotonous scenery—the bushes dry and withered this close to the desert.

Fuery drove to the town square of the easternmost city before the desert began and stopped the car. Hawkeye climbed out without opening the door and slung her bag over her shoulders.

"Thank you for the ride, I really do appreciate it."

"I hope you find that little alchemist. And I'm sure you'll manage to get a stone for the Colonel. I'd help, but I can't abandon my station and we're horribly short staffed."

"I understand." Hawkeye said, smiling. Fuery had orders to obey whereas she had directly ignored Mustang's insistence that she stay in bed. She stepped away from the car and saluted. "Thank you again."

Fuery started to drive off. "I'll write up the bill for the gas and get the office of the Colonel to pay it!" He waved and Hawkeye laughed into the dust left behind by the automobile, its black hood shining in the bright light of the sun. Hawkeye turned towards the market of the town, a hint of the spicy exotic flair of Xing in the air. She squared her shoulders and started walking towards the marketplace, intending to ask around if anyone had seen Edward Elric lately.

* * *

Roy Mustang woke up but the world was still as black as it had been before he went to sleep. He sensed that he was alone in the hospital room. It was childish, he knew, but he had hoped that one moment would come and everything would end up being a bad dream; Fuhrer Bradley, the Homunculi, his Lieutenant's injuries, all of it. But such was not the case. He lay in the hospital bed, feeling the flimsy material of the bed sheet through his fingers. He wasn't sure where his gloves went, but assumed that an orderly had removed them in case he accidently snapped a flame to life. At this moment, though, the Colonel had no desire to perform alchemy. He didn't even care if he became the fuehrer or not. Though it was incredibly selfish, at this very moment he couldn't think of anything he wanted to see more than her face.

* * *

Riza Hawkeye blinked the dusty air out of her eyes and reached into her military bag for a water bottle. Seated on a curb in front of a shabby tavern, she watched the people walking by as she took a couple of minutes to break from her search. So far, no luck. Nobody seemed to have any idea where the sate alchemist might be, though many people admitted that they had heard of him. For someone so small, Edward sure had a big reputation. People had some idea about what had happened all the way in central a couple of days back, and when Hawkeye asked them questions, she often found herself interrogated in return. Not wanting to state her true purpose for coming, though, she always answered as evasively as she could.

Hawkeye leaned back on her arms and turned her face towards the sky, her eyes closed. Before experiencing what they had in Ishval—and being scarred by it—the Colonel had always talked about wanting to visit Xing and other nations surrounding Amestris. Hopefully, when he got his sight back, they could go do those things. And she would be by his side, as long as he wanted her there.

Suddenly, a scuffle broke out just inside the tavern. Hawkeye jumped to her feet as she heard the shouts and was shoved roughly out of the way by guards as they threw someone out. Hawkeye's hand travelled to her back, where her gun was holstered. She touched the cold metal but hesitated when she recognized who the victim was.

"Ling?" she asked, hardly believing it.

Ling looked up at her and his eyes widened. "You're Mustang's girl aren't you?"

The guards looked at the pair suspiciously and watched Ling get to his feet. One of them turned to Hawkeye, disgusted.

"Do you know this guy? He just came in here and ate everything he could find, even off of other patron's plates! And then he insisted that he didn't have a dime to pay back."

"Is this true?" Hawkeye asked, studying Ling. He didn't look much like the prince she had just been expecting, but she supposed that the things she had heard about his insatiable appetite were true. So some things didn't change, not really.

Ling crossed his arms. "I was hungry."

"But you're full now?"

Ling nodded.

Hawkeye sighed and reached into her pocket. Her cracked military ID was still there, scarred from battle.

"Send your bill to the office of Colonel Roy Mustang," she deadpanned, trying not to think of all the paperwork she was creating for the future fuhrer.

The guards scowled and retreated, leaving Hawkeye and Ling alone on the street.

"So what brings you all the way to this border town? Are you intending to go all the way to Xing?"

Hawkeye shrugged. Her years in the military reminded her to be careful of how much information she told people. The moral instinct that she felt she could trust Ling was overshadowed by the fact that he was foreign. So she decided to tell the half truth.

"I'm on business for the Colonel. I'm looking for Edward Elric."

Ling smiled widely at her announcement. "The Elric guy, huh? Well, you have perfect timing. I know where you can find him. I'll even tell you, since you were so nice to me just now. But first, I think that you had better come with me to the capital of Xing."

"What?" Hawkeye asked. She had known that it might take some work on her journey to return the Colonel's sight but even so, she hadn't expected to leave the country. "Why?"

Ling grinned again and there was something vaguely greedy to the expression.

"I bet you'd be just as surprised as I was to learn that there are actually eight."

Hawkeye blinked, not sure what the prince was getting at. Maybe he had drunk a little too much in the tavern.

"You know, as opposed to the original seven?"

Realization began to dawn on Hawkeye, but she wasn't willing to believe it until she could be absolutely certain.

Then a masked figure jumped down off of the roof behind her and circled Hawkeye, stopping at Ling's side. Hawkeye didn't bother drawing her weapon; she had heard all about the ninja's reputation and knew enough to guess who the newcomer was.

"Stop beating around the bush my lord," Lan Fan said, removing her mask. Her dark eyes stared into Riza.

"There is an eighth homunculus. She's in Xing."

Hawkeye resisted the urge to gasp. After everything that had happened, she didn't think that anything could surprise her anymore. She had been mistaken.  
"How can that be?" After Fuhrer Bradley's death it was supposed to be over with. Amestris was supposed to have Mustang as its leader and everything should have been peaceful. So why was she still fighting after the last battle?

Neither Ling nor Lan Fan answered her question; it seemed that they were just as confused as she was.

"It doesn't matter," Hawkeye said, dismissing her previous question. "We need to destroy it."

"I like the sound of that," Ling smiled. He turned to Lan Fan. "Is the vehicle ready?"

Lan Fan nodded and replaced her mask. "My lord." She sprinted off, leaving Hawkeye and Ling walking after her at a much slower pace. As they walked away from the centre of town and towards the edge of the desert, Hawkeye thought about how she had been so quick to include herself in their mission. It was because she had noticed a pattern during the most recent battle; where there was a homunculus, there was a stone. If Ling thought it odd that she had agreed to accompany them to Xing, he didn't say anything. The way he had asked her to join them in the first place, though, would suggest that he had a plan of some sort in mind.

When they met up with Lan Fan a few minutes later, the look that she and Ling exchanged—almost as though they could communicate without words—reminded the Lieutenant that she ought to watch her back. She climbed into the all-terrain vehicle beside Lan Fan in the back as Ling sat up front and a Xingease driver she didn't recognize took the wheel. The car sputtered to life and sped across the desert, blowing a wave of sand all around them. As they raced towards Xing's capital, Hawkeye's heart raced as well. Hopefully she was making the right choice, heading in the right direction, to save Mustang's eyes.

* * *

Three days later, the skyline of Xing's capital came into view on the horizon. Hawkeye had spent most of the journey in a daze, staring off into the distant expanse of sand, but without seeing anything. The gritty material got into her hair and the pores of her skin. She felt mummified and stiff. She sat up in her seat and licked her lips, though it did little to help.

"You need to drink more to keep your strength up. We'll be there soon." Lan Fan handed Hawkeye a soft-sided container of water and the Lieutenant sipped from it weakly, grateful for the cool liquid. They had made camp early every night somewhere in the shifting sand dunes, but the moments passed by in a blur. Apparently, the Lieutenant's lack of focus wasn't uncommon. Hawkeye remembered Lan Fan warning her at some point early on in the trip that the alchemical energy radiating from Xing's capital could lead to some side effects for those unfamiliar with the practice. And indeed, as they drove closer to the capital, Hawkeye thought that she could detect a strange hum passing among the shifting sands. Ling had been the one to tell her that the eighth homunculus might have been projecting that energy as well.

Hawkeye must have drifted off again because the next time she opened her eyes, the car was stopped and the driver was helping the prince and his guard exit the vehicle. Hawkeye shuffled out of the car and tried to keep up with Ling and Lan Fan as they approached what she assumed could only be the palace—a soaring marble-white structure with gold architectural accents. It put everything she had ever seen in Amestris to shame.  
_Mustang would love to see this_, she thought, then realizing that she had reminded herself of her reason for being here.


	3. The Eighth Homunculus

Hawkeye followed Ling and Lan Fan through the grand entrance of the palace. Inside, the floors gleamed and rich woven tapestries decorated the polished stone walls. Despite making an effort not to drag her feet, Hawkeye's boots clomped on the floor, oddly discordant compared to Lan Fan's silent footsteps. They hadn't made it even halfway across the entrance hall before there was a loud crash from the far end. Hawkeye braced herself and prepared to draw her guns as she saw someone rushing towards them, waving his arms frantically. Lan Fan automatically crouched in front of Ling, whose senses were also clearly on alert. After a tense second, Hawkeye recognized the newcomer. He was wearing a long red cape and that one piece of his hair was still sticking straight up on top of his head.

"Edward Elric!" she shouted, feeling a mixture of relief and confusion. So that was why Ling had looked so amused when she agreed to visit the capital of Xing before meeting up with Edward. He had clearly already been recruited to help fight against the Homunculus, the same as her.

"What's wrong?" Ling called mockingly. "Couldn't you handle her on your own?"

Ed waited until he joined the three of them before answering. His breathing was ragged and there were some new cuts and scrapes on his face in addition to what was left over from the fight against Our Father. His black clothes were dusty; his pants ripped to expose his still-automail leg. His red cloak hung off of his shoulders in tatters. Impatiently, Ed ripped off the excess fabric and threw it aside. Ignoring Ling's jab, he wiped his face and addressed Riza.

"It's nice to see that you're starting to heal already, Lieutenant Hawkeye. I always welcome a little extra help, though I'm surprised that the Colonel would send you off on another mission so soon. Take care, this homunculus means business."

"Don't they all," Ling sighed.

"Wait, have you been fighting against it this whole time?" Riza asked. She had been hoping for the chance of some strategy session or general meeting before being hurled into battle. Apparently, though, that was not to be the case this time.

Ed shook his head. "Nah. We were going to wait for back up before challenging her head-on, but we were running out of time. She's absorbing the ambient energy of Xing and growing too powerful. We didn't have time to wait for an overtired military to get here. Something had to be done, and I was the one here."

"So you blindly provoked it?" Hawkeye asked, incredulous. She knew that the Elric boys had a reputation for being a little too eager to jump into situations before thinking them through but this was more than she had anticipated.

Ed shrugged. "What can I say? I was getting bored here."

"And we're all you've got in terms of reinforcements?"

Ed smiled warily. "Um, yes."

An ear-splitting shriek and subsequent crash called her attention elsewhere, to the direction from which Ed had just been running. A portion of the wall blasted out toward them and Riza threw up an arm to protect her face from the rubble and debris. Before the dust cleared, a shadowy figure started to walk towards them, the gait shuffling and unsteady. From this distance, the figure seemed small but it seemed to be growing in size with every step.

What would this homunculus' power be? What deceitful plan did it have in store? Would it be as huge as Envy? Remembering that fight... the hate in her Colonel's eyes... Riza quickly shook herself out of that moment. This—right now—was where she needed to focus her energy.

With a click, Hawkeye loaded a fresh magazine into her largest pistol. She held up her weapon by her face and waited. Her heartbeat thudded in her veins but her hands were steady. She might be sore and exhausted, at the limit of her physical endurance, but she would not stop fighting as long as she had something worth fighting for.

The homunculus advanced and offered Riza her first glimpse of the creature. She was tall and thin, with proportionately larger arms and legs. Her long blonde hair rippled behind her head in a golden halo. Her face was flat, with high cheekbones that gave her a haughty appearance. Like Ed, she was looking a little worse for wear. It was a good thing that the kid had managed to inflict some damage already. The homunculus wore a long black dress not unlike Lust's. As soon as Hawkeye thought the name, the homunculus' heavily-lidded eyes found hers and bored into her. Her eyes widened and her mouth broke out into a wide grin, giving her a crazed expression. Sensing what passed between them, Ed stepped halfway in front of Hawkeye.

It didn't break their line of sight, though. Hawkeye could still see the homunculus and in an instant, she knew that this was not going to be any ordinary battle. There was no doubt in her mind that this was one of the homunculi. She even had an ouroboros tattoo, right in the middle of her forehead. It matched Lust's, though it was a blue tattoo rather than a red one. What could that mean?

"You," the creature shrieked, jolting Riza out of her thoughts. The monster's voice was low-pitched and menacing. Energy seemed to crackle in an arc around her hands. "You helped kill my sister, didn't you?"

Now Riza saw the resemblance and the contrast between the two monsters. Where Lust's hair had been black as night and her skin ivory, the creature before her had pale hair and tanned skin. Her mannerisms indicated certain haughtiness, but she didn't seem as cool and self-assured as Lust. While Lust had been confident and seductive, this newest Homunculus was crazed and disorientated. Her body squirmed and fidgeted whereas Lust had held herself perfectly still, even when poised to attack. Hawkeye found herself momentarily entranced, stunned by the obvious differences. Where had this eighth homunculus come from? She felt as though she was missing a part of the puzzle. She looked over to Ed, who seemed to be lost in thought. Maybe he knew something that she didn't?

"Mind you, I never really liked the woman," the creature continued. "She always thought too high and mighty of herself. And then of course, she got herself killed, the dumb bitch. Judging by your expression, I'd say that you had something to do with it—some hand in destroying her."

Riza said nothing, deciding not to waste words.

The homunculus continued. "I'd like to thank you for that, but that might be in poor taste since I want to kill you myself. Oh well, I'd at least like for you four to know that my name is Passion, and I'm positively _obsessed_ with evening the score!" and with that, she attacked.

Hawkeye jumped back and fired, but, as was the same with the other homunculi, her bullets had little effect. Lan Fan jumped into the air and shouted as she flung a handful of throwing knives at Passion. Ling and Ed followed the onslaught, both of them fighting with traditional Xingese swords since Ed could no longer transmute. Riza hung back for a moment, not firing her gun, worried that she might shoot someone other than Passion. She hadn't known what to expect coming here, and now her lack of preparedness was undermining her confidence. It also didn't help matters that she was fighting without her usual partner. Hawkeye mentally shook herself and tried to focus on her training. She still had her military instincts, which she could rely on even without the Colonel by her side.

Abandoning her gun, Riza charged headlong at the homunculus. Passion hadn't been expecting such a bold move and so Riza felt her first few fists connect solidly against Passion's body. Seeing the opening she had created, Ed leapt into the fray, landing a kick which sent the creature flying backward. Blue sparks—a much darker, midnight colour than Ed or Al's transmutations—flew around Passion as she collided with the back wall. More bricks crumbled and Ling actually gasped aloud for the destruction of his hall. He and Lan Fan attacked Passion with renewed force. Lan Fan shouted for everyone to hit the ground before lighting a grenade and holding it aloft. She threw it at Passion's inert form and huddled next to Ling as it exploded. Ed jumped on top of Hawkeye to shield her from the blast. Moments later, her ears still rang as she wiped dirt from her eyes.

"You okay?" Ed asked, helping Riza to her feet.

Riza nodded. She looked to Ling and Lan Fan, who seemed shaken but unhurt. They both flashed her a smile.

"Did that hit her?" Lan Fan asked hoarsely. The four veterans walked to the smoking hole in the floor where Passion had been before the explosion. No sign of the creature remained, other than excess blue static clinging to the edges of the shallow pit.

"You hit her alright," Ed said as he kicked some loose stone into the hole. Concern filled his voice and he added, "I'm just not sure that it completely finished her off. I think that she's probably changed her form and hidden herself somewhere where she can recuperate."

"What does that mean?" Ling asked after the moment when Ed's words were met with silence.

"It means this fight isn't over yet," Riza said wearily, lowering her head.

* * *

"Colonel Mustang, you have a visitor."

The Colonel looked up at the sound of Maria Ross's voice. She had been visiting him every couple of days while he sat idly in his hospital bed and usually their meetings were the same—filled with awkward conversations but mostly silent. Sometimes they would study the culture of the Ishvalans but lately, Mustang just didn't have the motivation. While waiting for his mood to improve when Lieutenant Hawkeye returned, he had grown to appreciate Ross's visits. This time, it seemed that she brought news.

"Hi Colonel," a young male said. Mustang flinched, recognizing Alphonse Elric's voice. In his mind's eye he thought of the suit of armour before remembering that Fullmetal's brother had gotten his original, though emaciated, body back. Lucky kid.

Despite his bitterness, Mustang saluted. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, thank you. I'm here because I have a favour to ask. I was in northern Amestris, learning what I could about Alkahestry from May in Briggs. But then I received a telegram that my brother had travelled out east, to Xing. I thought to myself that it seemed a strange direction for him to go. So I dug a little deeper into military correspondence and it turns out that _there's another homunculus in Xing_!"

"What?" the Colonel gasped. "Lieutenant Ross, I demand an explanation!" He imagined her frantically signalling Alphonse that he shouldn't have said anything about the situation in Xing. But it was too late. This wasn't the first time the military had covered up facts from one department to the other. However, as the future leader of the country, it was the Colonel's right to demand to know everything about it.

"Sir, you weren't informed because the most important thing is for you to get better. It's not like you could do much in your condition, anyways," Ross said quietly. At least she was blunt about the issue and not making up excuses.

"I didn't mean—I'm sorry. It's just that I'm worried about my brother," Alphone began. His voice betrayed his distress. "After everything that's happened over the past couple of days, I know that he isn't at his strongest. Why couldn't an entire army be deployed instead? That's what I want to know! Then maybe the idiot wouldn't go putting himself in such a bad situation."

"The army is rebuilding Amestris," Ross said. "Within our borders, there's so much to be done that it doesn't make sense to export any number of our soldiers to Xing."

"That does it! I'm going to go over there myself and see if I can help out. I don't want my brother going through this by himself. He isn't strong enough to face off against another philosopher's stone."

"What did you say?" Mustang asked. "There's a stone in Xing?"

"Well, there's a homunculus so I'm assuming that yeah, that's the case," Al sounded unsure, not wanting to make any promises.

Mustang sat up in bed and threw the covers off of his legs. Wearing a pair of loose sweatpants, he sidled to the edge of the bed, gripped the bedpost, and supported himself into a standing position.

"Get me my military jacket and street clothes, Ross. Al, I'm going with you to Xing."

"Sir," Maria said. Mustang heard the door close and was satisfied that she did as he had asked.

"But you're blind! And you haven't healed yet!" Al protested.

"I can still use my flames. I don't have a choice. I'm not going to stay here and wait any longer."

Ross returned with the requested items. Mustang fumbled around with the articles of clothing before he hastily pulled on a shirt and slid his feet into his boots. He held out his hand.

"My military jacket?"

"It's not here. I think that Lieutenant Hawkeye might have taken it with her, Sir." Maria said.

Mustang took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He turned to face what he thought was the door. "Let's go," he said in an undertone. Al placed a hand on his shoulder to guide him, though the grip was nowhere near as warm and comfortable as when Riza's delicate but strong hand was in that same spot.  
Mustang heard Maria Ross' footsteps follow them. He felt the cooler air of the hallway, a welcome relief from the musty air within the hospital room. The smell of antiseptic was giving him a headache. Even without his vision, he could picture other soldiers still in a critical condition, lying in the hospital beds waiting for time to pass so that they could be healed and unbroken once again. He would not sit in idleness. He had two feet and a heartbeat and he would be damned if this homunculus in Xing survived for long after he got there.

"Colonel, I have to ask...why are you so determined to go?" Maria's voice rang out from behind him as he shuffled down the hallway towards the exit.  
Still walking away from the safety of the hospital room, Roy didn't bother stopping as he answered her question, seeming almost to speak to himself as much as her:

"Lieutenant Hawkeye. If there's a stone, I know that she will be there. And I'm not about to let her put herself in danger on my account."

* * *

"Too late."

"Huh?"

"You threw the bomb too late. She had time to disappear."

"I know. I did the best I could, my lord."

"She'll be back though."

"That's what I'm worried about."

Riza, Ed, Ling, and Lan Fan were seated in what appeared to be the dining room of the Xingese palace. Two of the walls were blown apart and the roof had collapsed, leaving it open to the elements. Whatever tapestries that had lined the walls were now heaped on the floor along what remained of the walls. After deciding that they were pretty much out in the open anyways, Lan Fan and Ling made a fire in the corner which the four of them huddled around. Nights in the desert were cold, but nobody had the heart to wander the darkened corridors of the palace without knowing where Passion was, biding her time somewhere in the arteries of the palace.

"At least the kitchen survived, mostly," Ling said, sighing as he roasted a small skewer of meat which they had managed to scrounge from said kitchen.  
Lan Fan nodded, "we're going to have a lot to rebuild, my lord."

Ling reached over and slung his arm over her shoulder. "Hey," he said. "We're going to be okay."

Lan Fan nodded, and then a moment later sidled out of his arm's reach. Ling didn't seem bothered by her reluctance and kept his eyes on his food. Hawkeye almost wished that the girl wasn't always so worried about formalities. If she wanted Ling to comfort her, she shouldn't feel bad about it. Then she felt her own cheeks heat up as she realized she would have done the same thing to Mustang if the roles had been reversed. Glumly, Hawkeye kicked a rock into the fire and stared into the flames.

"Are you all right?" Ed asked. Riza glanced at him and saw that he was looking at Lan Fan and Ling. So he had seen everything. He could probably guess what she was thinking, but he chose not to say anything.

"I'm fine," she said, lying. It hardly mattered anyways. The only person she wanted to see was so far away in Central. But at least he was safe. In his vulnerable state, Mustang was still reasonably out of harm's way. If nothing else, she could comfort herself with that thought.

"Well, this has been a great evening," Ling said, standing and stretching. "I'm exhausted though. So I'll sleep first, and the switch watches with someone else later on?"

"Sounds good to me," Lan Fan said. She crossed her legs and sat with her back to the wall, watching the courtyard for any sign of movement.

The sovereign she was guarding promptly finished his stretch and sprawled out on the floor. Typical Ling. Even though he ought to be looking out for his people, he still expected his guard to always watch his back. Hawkeye seriously doubted that he would wake up for his shift like he promised. But she saw the care in Lan Fan's eyes as she watched him try to get comfortable on the cold stone floor and realized that his guard didn't mind at all.

"You should try to sleep too. I can keep watch for the first half of the night," Ed offered.

"Make sure you wake me up," Hawkeye said, realizing that it was easier to agree than argue. And she needed the sleep. Even though Ed was clearly tired from fighting and holding off Passion before they came to his aid, his strong will would keep him awake. He took his spot next to Lan Fan and smiled at Riza, encouraging her to sleep.

Hawkeye crawled a little ways off from the fire and lay down on her side, facing away from the flames. The heat on her back made her shudder, recalling the night that Mustang had defaced the on her back as she had requested. She clutched his large military jacked around her and burrowed her face into it, inhaling his comfortable scent. It smelled like home. Riza closed her eyes and thought of Roy as her breathing slowed and she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Riza next woke up, the sun was streaking down into the dining area of the palace, illuminating the airborne dust left behind by all the rubble. She sat up and rubbed her eyes in confusion, feeling as though a lot of time had passed while she was unconscious. Looking over to the wall, she saw that both Ed and Lan Fan were leaning against each other, dozing. Neither of them had bothered waking up Ling or herself to take over the watch. Riza just shook her head at the fact that their strong wills were no match for sheer physical exhaustion.

She stood and stretched, yawning loudly. Lan Fan stirred, but her head didn't move from Ed's shoulder. Hawkeye walked over to Ling and nudged him in the elbow with her foot. He grunted but didn't move. It figured. And maybe his sleepiness was for the best; though it would be funny to see his reaction if he woke up and saw Lan Fan leaning on Ed like that. Riza smiled to herself and, figuring that the situation was under control here, decided to wander around the palace for a bit.

The light shone through the cracks in the walls and it took Riza a moment to realize that the sun was shining from the west. She stopped in her tracks, momentarily stunned. But that meant that the time of day was evening rather than morning. She and the others had been sleeping for at least 24 hours! No wonder she had felt so stiff. And, now that she thought about it, hungry. Her stomach was rumbling and her feet were a little cold in her boots; the sun wasn't strong enough this time of day in the desert and it was setting quickly. She shivered and wished that she had brought the Colonel's coat with her instead of leaving it folded on the ground near the fire. She had just made up her mind to go back when she noticed a flicker of movement down the hallway.  
Her senses on alert, Hawkeye pulled out her gun from its holster on her back and aimed it at the blackness with a steady hand. She cocked the weapon with a click which reverberated too loudly in the hallway. The direction of the breeze shifted. Something was not right.

* * *

Ed woke up with a start and hastily shoved Lan Fan away from him. He stood and rolled his still-scrawny right shoulder aroundin its socket, an old habit left over from his days of automail. Ling's guard blinked sleepily as she watched him and then, as though remembering that she was still supposed to be on duty, jumped up. All traces of sleepiness gone from her face, she looked at the floor, where Ling still slept.

"My lord, you should probably wake up right now," she said as she approached him. Ling sat up and Lan Fan helped him to his feet.

Before the three could do anything else, a flame rocketed through the still-intact doors at the far end of the hall, incinerating them. Ed, Ling, and Lan Fan readied themselves to fight the intruder. A moment after the smoke cleared, two recognizable figures made their way across the hall. One of the young men was assisting the other, who was shuffling around almost as though he had no sense of direction.

"Alphonse!" Ed called, unable to keep from smiling.

"Brother!" Al replied. "Are you all right? We heard that there's another homunculus here."

"I'm fine, though we still have a fight ahead of us."

"Colonel Mustang, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be recovering?" Ling asked curiously as the two newcomers drew level with the group in the corner of the hall.

Mustang looked up at the sound of his name being spoken. His eyes, though blank, conveyed a sense of extreme urgency. "Is Hawkeye here? Where is my Lieutenant?" He demanded.

Ed, Ling, and Lan Fan looked down at where Mustang's military jacket was lying on the floor. Aside from that, there was no sign of the Lieutenant anywhere. Her weapons were also missing.

"We don't know," Ling admitted.

Before the Colonel could respond, a loud rumble filled the hall. From somewhere off in the palace, it seemed that something had just exploded.

"Something's wrong," Ed said quietly.

* * *

"What, you think you're going to shoot me like you did my sister?" Passion jumped from where she had been hiding in the blackness and came straight at Hawkeye, her long manicured claws at the ready. Grunting, Hawkeye threw herself to the side just in time. She heard the snap of Passion's claws and felt the wind from the strike, sending her hair in her eyes. Taking no more than a second to secure her hair with a clip, Hawkeye looked at Passion as she turned around for another assault. The Homunculus looked to be a good foot and a half taller from the last time they had fought. Her limbs appeared stretched out, not quite proportionate to the rest of her body. It seemed as though Edward had been right after all. After dodging Lan Fan's grenade the other day, she had been biding her time and growing stronger, waiting to strike.

Hawkeye stood and faced her adversary. "Are you talking about Lust again?" she demanded, venom entering her words. She would not soon forget what had happened that day. Her stomach knotted as she recalled her fear, the overwhelming dread that had come over her when she was told that Roy was dead. She remembered the way she had felt—helpless to continue living without her Colonel. Then Hawkeye pushed those thoughts forcefully from her mind. She squared her shoulders and took a deep breath, ready to fight again. Passion had just made her very angry, and she was going to use that to her advantage.

"Maybe," Passion mocked. "Though to tell you the truth, I never much liked my sister."

"You already said that."

"Did I? You'll have to forgive me. Sometimes, I get so caught up in everything that I forget what's what. One thing that I do know for sure, though, is that you're my enemy! Now die!" Passion lunged and it was all Hawkeye could do to keep her at arm's length, bracing the creature against her rifle. Their eyes were level with each other, their faces less than a foot apart. Hawkeye knew she wasn't safe yet, though. Those clawed hands were still coming at her.

Passion leaned over and Hawkeye could smell her breath, the smell of stale air; of things not human buried in tombs. Passion's eyes widened and she grinned. "I don't much care for this weapon in my face." And with that, she yanked the rifle out of Hawkeye's grasp and threw it twenty feet behind her.

Hawkeye instantly dropped to a crouch and kicked at Passion. She felt her heavy boot collide with bone and Passion's screech was all the confirmation she needed that her extended limbs were her weak point. As she stood and backed away, watching Passion doubled over in agony, clutching her leg, something shone underneath the skin just below the monster's left collarbone. In contrast to the blue tattoo on her forehead, this foreign body glowed red. A philosopher's stone.

A grim smile came over Hawkeye's features. This was the fight she was waiting for. As Passion drew herself up to her full height, there was murder in her eyes. One piercing look at Hawkeye, and she seemed to know exactly what the Lieutenant was thinking.

"Yes I have a stone!" she screamed. "It's the only thing about me that's real. And you aren't about to take it from me!"

"I see now," Hawkeye said slowly, backing up. Passion was so distraught she didn't seem to notice that her target was retreating. "You're everything that's left over from Lust. Just like Hoenheim's double separated himself into the homunculi, Lust abandoned everything she didn't want about herself and put it all together to create you. That's why you didn't come out until now, your brothers and sisters were too strong." Hawkeye smiled fiercely before continuing, "You thought that you could have a piece of their glory after the fact."

Passion let out a wordless scream and struck out at the wall on her left. That was the only confirmation Hawkeye needed to know that she had guessed right. She turned and ran, trying to retrace her steps to the dining hall where her friends would be waiting.

She was almost there. She shouted so that Ed, Ling, and Lan Fan would know to expect her in a moment. After turning one last corner, Hawkeye spun around and slid on her feet, firing the last of her bullets into the body of the Homunculus. One of her shots struck the tattoo in the centre of Passion's forehead, which ended up being another weak spot. Passion's hands instantly went up to touch the wound from which blood flowed freely. Hawkeye smiled to herself, realizing that it was only a matter of time before this enemy was brought to her knees.

A moment later, however, Passion dropped one of her hands from her forehead. Her arm extended an impossible distance and swatted Hawkeye out of the way as though she was no more than an irksome bug. Riza felt herself sail through the air and a moment before impacting against the ground, she was shocked to realize that Passion's blow had sent her all the way back into the dining hall. She felt her body slam into the ground and her head crack against the stone floor. Everything in her vision swam and she felt a black void coming to swallow her up. _Don't pass out don't pass out don't pass out._ Suddenly, Hawkeye was made aware of the fact that she was no longer on the ground. She forced her eyes open and was stunned to see the ground below her more than ten feet. It seemed as though, in her desperation, Passion had grown some more. Dizzily, Hawkeye looked into the eye of her adversary and wondered if this was the end. Clearly, the Homunculus had her at a disadvantage.

A moment later, she was falling through space. Hawkeye knew her body couldn't handle another collision. But instead of striking the ground, she felt herself caught in someone's arms.

"Alphonse?" she said, surprised but happy to see him. Above her, Lan Fan, Ling, and Ed were barraging Passion with nonstop attacks. Her screeches and moans indicated that she couldn't last much longer. Ignoring the din overhead, Al set her down on her feet gently.

"I'm not the only one here," Al grinned, hooking a thumb over his shoulder. Hawkeye wondered what he meant and looked in the direction he pointed.  
"Colonel!" she screamed when she saw it was him.

He looked up at the sound of her voice and faced her directly. "Lieutenant! Are you alright? What's going on!"

"I'm fine, sir! The homunculus is almost done!" Hawkeye shouted. She sprinted over to Mustang but once she approached him she didn't know what to do. She felt a slight blush creep onto her cheeks and was suddenly glad that the Colonel couldn't see her uncertainty. A moment later, Mustang reached out his arms to embrace her. Hawkeye was just about to return the gesture when—

"Look out!" Lan Fan's warning came not a moment too soon. Hawkeye spun around, placing her body as a physical shield between the homunculus and Mustang. Passion's claws were extended as she lunged forward to attack. There wasn't any time to draw her gun. Hawkeye roughly shoved Mustang out of the way but when she went to roll out of the way herself she was a fraction of a second too slow. She cried out as she felt the monster's claws rip through the skin of her left shoulder.

"Lieutenant!" the Colonel shouted, his voice panicked.

Ed, Al, Ling, and Lan Fan froze where they stood.

Hawkeye climbed to her feet, her right hand on her shoulder in an attempt to staunch the blood that flowed freely from her wound. Passion stood less than fifteen feet away, breathing heavily. The creature was battered, bruised, and beaten and wouldn't last much longer. This attack on Hawkeye was her last ditch effort to avenge the 'sister' she claimed to have hated.

Homunculus and human stared each other down for a few seconds which felt more like minutes. Then Passion broke the staring contest and lunged.

Hawkeye drew her gun with her non-dominant hand and aimed, then fired directly at the Homunculus' left clavicle when she was less than eight feet away. A loud crack resounded in the space as the bullet left the chamber of her gun. Passion's black smoke engulfed the pair.

When the miasma cleared, Hawkeye was lying supine on the ground, her open hand reaching towards something. A few feet away, nothing remained of Passion except for a glowing red stone, the size and colour of a young flame.


	4. The End

The chaotic aftermath of the fight had died down somewhat, and all six of the battle-weary friends were on their way back to Amestris. The return journey to Central was a tense one. For a couple of hours out in the desert, far away from any medical help, nobody could be sure that Hawkeye would make it. Her breathing was shallow, her skin pale, her body bruised and battered. She remained unconscious for most of the trip. Through it all, Mustang insisted that he cradle her in his lap. And though he still remained sightless, he didn't once turn his face away from where Riza rested in his arms, leaning against his chest. He listened to her breathing and rubbed his thumb on her shoulder, feeling helpless that this was the only small measure of comfort he could provide. What a meaningless gesture. And she wasn't even awake to see it.

"Riza. Could you talk to me please? Say something, damn it!"

But there wasn't a response. The Colonel felt hot liquid gathering in his eyes and roll down his face, probably dripping down to his Lieutenant as well. He hugged her close and hoped that they would make it in time.

* * *

Almost twenty-four hours after leaving Xing, they had reached the border of Amestris. Medical facilities in the East weren't as good as those in Central, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Hawkeye was instantly admitted and placed under medical observation. After a brief physical examination, the doctor admitted that he couldn't see anything wrong with her.

"Give her time. She's a fighter. I know that she'll wake up." Those were his words of advice.

"That thing she fought wasn't even human," Mustang snarled from where he sat in a bedside chair. He had reached for her hand as soon as she was placed in a bed and though his grip appeared gentle, he wouldn't let go.

"Time will tell," the doctor said. Then he kicked everyone else out of the room and announced that he would be shutting off the light so that the patient could get the rest she needed. Mustang felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder—Ed's, probably—and heard everyone shuffle out. He heard two clicks; one for the door and another for what he assumed was the light switch. The world still looked the same to him; dark. And he knew that if anything bad were to happen to his Lieutenant, the darkness would be made that much more unbearable.

* * *

"Colonel?" the voice came from the darkness.

Mustang opened his eyes and then shut them again when he discovered no difference. He must have nodded off to sleep. His chair was pushed back and his head and chest were on the bed, close to Riza's head. His hand still held hers and though his shoulder was cramping up, he didn't want to move it.

"Shh. I'm here. You need to rest."

"Are you alright, sir?" Hawkeye squeezed his hand slightly.

He smiled in spite of himself. "Yes. Thanks to you."

"I'm glad."

"You've been asleep for so long, I'm worried about you. But you need to get your strength back. That's all that matters."

"Did you get the stone?"

"Yes."

"But you haven't used it yet?"

"No. I wanted you to be healed first."

"Colonel..." Hawkeye began but Mustang laughed to himself quietly, cutting her off.

"Don't worry; I didn't use the stone on you. I know my Lieutenant, and you're more than strong enough to heal yourself, even if it does take time. The stone is still intact. I'm only going to use it once you're completely healed. I want you to be the first person I see."

After a moment of silence, as though she was absorbing what he was saying, Hawkeye spoke again.

"Thank you for staying with me, sir."

"I should be thanking you. Now get some rest. I'm not going anywhere."

A few moments later, Riza's soft, even breathing returned and Roy knew that she was sleeping. He smiled in the darkness and allowed himself to be taken into his own dreams beside her, the woman who would always be his queen.

* * *

A few days later, an official parade welcomed the Colonel, Hawkeye, Edward, and Alphonse back to Central. After making sure that Hawkeye was all right, Lan Fan and Ling had excused themselves to return to Xing and begin rebuilding the palace. Though it was nice to hear all the shouts and cheers of people lining the streets, the Colonel wished that he could block out some of the din. He didn't feel like a hero. Far from it, he knew that it was Hawkeye and the others who should receive all the credit. But if he was going to be fuhrer, he figured that he needed to get used to taking credit for other people's work. He held Riza's hand the whole time, and the reassuring warmth of her bare skin against his helped him make it through all of the festivities.

Returning his sight ended up being a rather simple procedure. Ed, Al, Jean Havoc, and of course Hawkeye were all invited to watch as Dr Marcoh sat down the patient on the floor of his office. Then he seamlessly performed the incantation which would restore what Mustang had lost. When it was done, Hawkeye was unable to contain her excitement and jumped off of the couch to crawl in front of the Colonel.

"Well?" she demanded, crouching in front of him.

Mustang blinked and slowly, Hawkeye came into focus. He saw her lovely eyes first, filled with tears of happiness. She was smiling in a way that opened up her whole face. She wore her hair down—an unusual style for her. It had gotten longer since the last time he had noticed it and Mustang was seized with the urge to run his fingers through it.

"I can see," he said, almost unable to believe it, a smile forming on his face as he looked at her with wonder.

Hawkeye let out a noise that was not unlike a squeal and lunged forward to hug him. He reacted on instinct, his arms opening to accept her and draw her close. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, thrilled to know that when he opened them again, he would be able to see Hawkeye in front of him. For a long time, they sat there with their arms around one another.

Eventually, though it was the last thing in the world he wanted to go, Mustang gently let go of Hawkeye. He stood and addressed Marcoh.

"Thank you very much Doctor. Your expertise will not soon be forgotten."

Marcoh sighed. "I did what I could. I'm just sorry about the delay."

The Colonel turned to Havoc. "It's nice to be whole again, isn't it?" the second Lieutenant said.

Mustang grinned. "You bet."

Then he looked to Ed and Al. "Thanks for everything, fullmetal. And you as well, Alphonse. I owe you a special thanks for breaking protocol, telling be about your brother's plans, and agreeing to take me to Xing."

"You bet!" Ed grinned, flashing him a thumbs up and winking.

"Yeah, you're welcome," Alphonse said, sounding a little embarrassed.

Mustang turned back to Riza, who seemed content with sitting on the floor. "Lieutenant, I have a favour to ask you. Will you come with me to my office?" He extended a hand to her and she took it, allowing herself to be helped to her feet.

"If this is about all that paperwork, I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about," she smiled.

"No," Mustang said, holding the door open for her. "This is something different." And they stepped out into the hallway, leaving everyone behind in Dr Marcoh's office.

"Colonel, sir, this isn't the right direction," Hawkeye said, a trace of amusement in her voice.

"Do you know something, I think you're right," Mustang said, fighting the urge to smile like an idiot. "Darn. I guess we'll just have to go outside."

"What are you planning?" Hawkeye asked, sounding suspicious.

"Nothing, nothing at all," Mustang said in a voice which implied that he certainly had something up his sleeve. "I just thought we might go for a walk. You know, get away from all our obligations and _paperwork_ for a while."

Hawkeye was about to retort when she felt Mustang's hand slide into hers. He squeezed her fingers and she squeezed back, looking into his eyes and smiling. When they reached the end of the hallway, Mustang opened the door and the pair found themselves in a lovely parkette where the citizens of Amestris were continuing their daily lives as best they could before the attack from Our Father. Kids were playing, friends were socializing, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the lovely weather.

As they strolled along the path, Hawkeye leaned in to Mustang and sighed. He had been right. It was nice to be out of the office, where they could hold hands and act the way they wanted, without having to worry about politics or military formalities. They stopped and stood in the shade under a tree for a few moments, staring across a small pond where geese were swimming and squawking.

Then Mustang cleared his throat and took a step back and faced her directly. "So there's something I've been meaning to tell you. And also ask you. But mostly tell you."

"Okay," Hawkeye said curiously. It wasn't like the Colonel to seem so flustered. "What is it?" she asked.

The Colonel's gaze never left hers as he spoke; "I'm going to become fuhrer. It's a fact. It might be tomorrow, it might be next week, or it might still be years from now. Many things in life are uncertainties; things which we can't predict. But I know this for a fact. I would make an excellent leader. I'm well versed in politics and I have my military training going for me. I feel obligated to fulfil my promise to Hughes, to move up in the ranks. More importantly than that, Amestris needs a strong leader. I could be that leader. I could make a great deal of difference for this country. There's just one thing I'm missing."

Mustang took a step forward and looked down at Riza, his expression serious. "I need a partner. Someone to keep me in line, someone I can trust completely. You've proved your strength and compassion countless times in battle. It's likely that you will also move up in the ranks. And I wouldn't want anyone else by my side."

"Colonel," Hawkeye said, "you know without asking that I will always be by your side. As a Lieutenant, a Captain, a Major, whatever. The title doesn't matter; I will be there for you."

"Thanks." Mustang said. He shifted from foot to foot and only now did he break their gaze for a moment. But then his dark eyes found hers again and held her captivated. "I appreciate that, I really do. But I was referring to another kind of partnership. I know that there's a law against it...but laws can be changed. Especially if one becomes fuhrer."

"What?" Hawkeye asked.

Roy dropped to one knee. He grasped her hands. "First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. You have rescued me from dark places before—first in Ishval, and then again when I completely lost myself with Envy. Throughout my career, you have made countless sacrifices without ever asking for anything in return. I want you to know that I have always appreciated everything you've done for me. Because of you, I am no longer confined to darkness and I can physically see again. But I can't imagine myself living a life without your presence in it." Roy took a deep breath. "Will you please marry me?"

"Yes," Riza whispered, answering immediately. Her heart thudded in her veins.

Roy stood up, grinning. He pulled her closer to him by the hands he held in his strong grip. He stared at her and Riza saw herself reflected in the infinite darkness of his eyes. She smiled and leaned her head towards his. Their lips met and Hawkeye clasped her hands around his broad back.

_Finally_. This was the kiss she had been waiting for. Roy's lips yielded to hers, one of his hands cupped her face gently and the other hand caressed her hair. It seemed that he was thinking the same thing exactly.


End file.
